


Rebel Rise

by Guardian_of_Hope



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Found Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Healing, Second Chances, Slow Burn, Time Travel, a new future, spoilers for the season four midseason opener
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-03-22 01:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13753041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian_of_Hope/pseuds/Guardian_of_Hope
Summary: Being dead wasn't supposed to hurt.  It was supposed to be the Force, that burning heart of a star.  It was knowing again how it felt when he meditated with his Master.It wasn't supposed to be busted ribs and a burned arm, and a two week deadline before an arms dealer job for Vizago that would introduce Kanan's Padawan to the Specters.





	1. Waking Up

**Author's Note:**

> If you missed it in the tags, this takes place right after Jedi Night, the Mid-Season Opener of Star Wars: Rebels. Big Fucking Spoiler Ahead, you have been warned.

_Was death supposed to hurt this much?_   Kanan wondered.  He shifted and couldn’t muffle a groan of pain.  He’d been set to die, not willing to die, but prepared for that aspect of the night’s events.  He’d even managed to hear Hera admit that she loved him, against all odds.  He only regretted that he hadn’t managed to finish Ezra’s training, to give him the final piece his Padawan would need to enter his Trials for Knighthood.

As he shifted, and a more specific throb awoke in his chest and his left arm, Kanan suddenly wondered if he’d actually managed to survive.  After all, the kind of effort put into a telekinetic shield like he’d used required a certain push-pull effect.  His attention had been split between the shield, and the gunship.  Had he bobbled it, so that he was now alive, but badly burned, and possibly in Imperial hands?

“Hera, I’ve found him.”

 _Sabine?_   Kanan wondered.

“Oh, thank you,” Hera said, “is he all right?”

“He looks banged up,” Sabine said, “I think he had more of a fight than he told us.”

Kanan blinked open his eyes, and flinched as a light shown directly on him.  “Kanan,” Hera said, leaning over him and blocking the light.

“Hera?”  Kanan asked.

“Are you all right?  What happened?”  Hera asked.

Kanan frowned, “I- it blew up, didn’t it?”

“No,” Sabine said from behind him, “nothing’s blown up.  Yet.”

Kana shifted, then hissed his as chest protested.

“Lie still,” Hera ordered him, pressing on his shoulder.  “Zeb and Chopper will bring the _Ghost_ soon.  We’ll get you in the med bay soon.”

 _Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper,_ Kanan thought, “Where’s Ezra?”

Hera tilted her head, puzzled, “Who’s Ezra?”

“Who, Ezra, Era Bridger, my…” Kanan trailed off as he realized that neither of them recognized his Padawan’s name.

“Kanan?”  Sabine asked, gently, “Who’s Ezra?

“Later,” Kanan said, “I’ll tell you later.  When I can actually breath.”

Kanan let his eyes close as he focused on breathing without introducing more lancing pain through his body.


	2. Vision

Hera and Sabine got Zeb to carry Kanan back to the Ghost while Kanan muffled his swearing in his good arm.  Hera didn’t care for swearing, and Sabine had a rich enough vocabulary on the matter.  While Kanan wasn’t a hundred percent certain on the matter, he was pretty sure he had broken ribs, and his arm was burned from just above his elbow to the back of his wrist.  His head throbbed, especially when Kanan realized that he was _seeing_ everything.  He’d lived nearly two years in a cocoon of darkness and the Force, but nearly thirty of them seeing, and the difference was amazing.

Whenever the pain eased off, Kanan found himself staring at Hera, at her lekku markings, and beautiful green eyes, and the way she moved with the confidence of a warrior.  He also took in Sabine’s armor, and the murals on the _Ghost,_ and the way Zeb’s fur rippled as he moved.

“Are you okay?”  Hera asked again.

“I think I hit my head,” Kanan admitted, “what- what planet are we on?”

“Garel,” Sabine offered.

Kanan nodded, trying to think out why they would be on Garel without Ezra, without even knowing Ezra.  Hera put her hand on Kanan’s shoulder for a moment before moving so that Zeb could set him down.

“Zeb, Sabine, can you let me and Hera talk, please?”  Kanan asked, realizing that Hera would need something, even if they couldn’t tell the others.

“I’ll get you some clean clothes,” Sabine offered.

“I’ll move the _Ghost,”_ Zeb said, “make sure nobody gets curious.”

Once the infirmary door was closed, Hera moved to sit beside Kanan.

“Hera,” Kanan said, “love, why don’t you get the supplies out while I talk.  I- I think I know, I just, I think.”  He stopped.

“Let me get some painkiller in you,” Hera said.

“That might help,” Kanan admitted.  He watched as Hera moved around the room, trying to think his way through the problem now facing him.  Finally, Hera gave him a shot and Kanan sighed.  “I think that hit to the head got mixed up with a vision.”

“A vision?”  Hera repeated.

“From the Force,” Kanan said.  “It was, it was strong, like I was, living another life.”

“With someone named Ezra,” Hera said as she picked up a sanitizing spray and took Kanan’s hand, so she could spray it on him.

“Kriff,” Kanan hissed at the pain, “Ezra was, he was an orphan we met.  We took him in, like Sabine.  He- I think he was Force sensitive, that I was teaching him.  It was, it was so intense.”

“Was it the future?”  Hera asked.

“I don’t know,” Kanan replied, “I’m not sure.”  He knew it was, he wanted his Padawan back, all the way back.  “I think that shot’s making me loopy, Hera.  Where are we going now?”

“Lothal,” Hera replied, “Vizago’s offering us a job.”

“Arms dealers,” Kanan said, trying to keep the rising hope from marking his face.

“Not the first time,” Hera reminded him as she slathered bacta gel on his arm and began rubbing it in.

“Damn,” Kanan said, “we’re going to have to cut my shirt off, I’m not sure I can raise my arms.”

“I’ve got it under control,” Hera assured him, “just trust me and let the painkillers kick in.”

That was easy enough to do, Kanan thought.  He’d always trusted Hera.  As Sabine came back with fresh clothing, Kanan realized that he did know this mission.  They had been meeting a contact from Fulcrum and it had been busted up by stormtroopers.  Kanan hadn’t gotten hurt, not like this, but he had just missed an ill-thrown thermal detonator.  If this, this whatever that had put him back in that moment, had stalled him out as he ran, then he must have been caught by the detonator this time.  As Hera and Sabine eased his clothes off so that his chest could be wrapped, Kanan couldn’t help but think, _You’d think the Force would make sure those it shoved around didn’t end up dead on arrival._

He wasn’t sure what the Force had been up to, but Kanan knew for a fact that he was going to change things.  Ezra, Sabine, Hera, Zeb, and even Chopper deserved better.


	3. Plan

Once Hera and Sabine left him in the Medbay to sleep off the painkillers, Kanan knew he had to get to work.  He wasn’t a Healer, but one of the few non-combat things Master Depa had pushed him on was self-healing.  She had pushed him hard to learn how to trance, how to direct healing, and how to know when to come back out of it.  He’d relearned how to do it after Ezra came aboard, once he realized that _Ezra_ needed those lessons.  It was one of the reasons Kanan hadn’t stepped in often when Ezra and Zeb had crossed the line into physical confrontations.  The bruises had been an incentive to learn.

Now, he was back at the beginning.  His body hadn’t undergone the experience of a healing trance in over a decade, although his mind was firm and ready for it, the Force waiting for his direction.  It was time to start getting back in fighting trim before he found Ezra again, something told him he didn’t have as much time as he wanted.

Still, when Kanan eased out of the trance, he had to admit he felt better.  He’d concentrated on his ribs, knowing that he would need the freedom of movement for the next op.  His arm would heal just fine without being the focus of his concentration, thanks to the addition of bacta it probably wouldn’t even scar.

“Kanan, are you awake?”  Zeb called as the infirmary door slid open.

“Yes,” Kanan replied as he carefully pulled on his clean clothes.  “What do you need, Zeb?”

“Hera sent me to check on you, she wanted to make sure you were awake.  We’re about ready to start talking about the plan for Lothal.”  Zeb said.

“Okay,” Kanan said, standing up and wincing slightly as his ribs set up a mild throb.  “I’m ready for this.”

“You sure?”  Zeb said, “Maybe you should sit this one out.”

“No, I’m sure,” Kanan replied.  He stepped away from the bed, hands out to make sure his knees didn’t go out on him and began to make his way to the door.  “I think my ribs weren’t as bad as I thought originally,” he added as he reached the door.

“I don’t know,” Zeb said, “you were pretty out of it earlier.”

“I’m fine,” Kanan said, “let’s get started on this, okay?”  He knew he was going to be coddled over this.  Hera was a worrier, and she’d pass that trait on to Zeb and Sabine far too easily.

They met at the table in the lounge, with Hera scooting over to allow Kanan to sit on the outside, where he could move if he needed to.  Still, as the holo-map of Capital City came up, Kanan realized that, even known what he did, there were certain things he might have to allow to achieve his primary goal, getting Ezra back on the Ghost.

As the others talked angles and supply locations, Kanan began to sort through the implications of not only allowing the untrained fourteen-year-old onto the Ghost, but how far he should let the original timeline of events to go down.

“Kanan,” Hera said, “are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” Kanan replied, he shifted so that he could point at one of the city exits.  “We’ll use this exit, everyone.”  It was closest to Ezra’s tower, and the route that Ezra would pick instinctively.  “See, the topography suggests we can park the _Ghost_ here without attracting lot of attention until we’re ready.”  He turned to Hera, “And Hera, what I mentioned earlier, I’d like to have another conversation about that after we’ve finished hashing out plan a.”

“Plan A?”  Sabine said.

“Yes, that’s the plan where I’m actually taking an active part in,” Kanan said.  “Plan b will be the one where I switch places with Hera and pilot the _Ghost_ while she oversees the heist.”

“That’s not what I expected,” Hera said.

Kanan smiled at her, “You did say you wanted to be involved more.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Kanan, what the hell is going on?”  Hera demanded.

Kanan glared at her, then at Chopper as the droid added his two cents.  “It’s been a difficult morning, Hera.” He glanced at the door, making sure it was firmly closed, “That vision?  More accurate that I thought it would be.”

“What?”  Hera turned, and Kanan pointed at the security camera, “A kid?”

“Ezra Bridger,” Kanan said firmly.  He dropped into his chair and looked at the screen.  “In those visions, I didn’t, I didn’t actually see much.  But, I was thinking about him, and how he dropped into our lives, helped us save the Wookies, and changed everything, and I was so, so grateful that he did.”

“But,” Hera said after a moment.

“I didn’t realize that when I thought ‘dropped into our lives’, I meant it literally.  He was on the roof, and he just made a controlled fall into the seat of that speeder like it was nothing.”

“Sounds like you’re interested in him,” Hera said, “I thought you gave up the Jedi stuff.”

“Well, the Force just shoved a bunch of visions in my brain about why Ezra’s worth keeping,” Kanan said, “but about those Wookies.”

“What about them?”  Hera asked.  “We’ve been trying everything.”

“Vizago’s going to offer us some intel,” Kanan said, “it’s bad, but he doesn’t know that.  In my vision, I was remembering, we took Ezra with us, and he got captured, and during the escape, he found out where they really took the Wookies.  I know where they are, but, Hera, I, I can’t see if not buying the information from Vizago will hurt us.”

“You mean, if we don’t buy information we’ve been asking about for weeks, would it be suspicious?”  Hera asked.

“Yes,” Kanan said, “Vizago might be an arms dealer of questionable morals, but he’s helped us out a lot.  I’m not sure we should throw that resource away like that.”

“That information isn’t going to come cheap,” Hera pointed out.  “Especially with another crew member around.”

“Ezra can pull his weight,” Kanan said, “If we can convince him to join up.”  He turned in his chair to stare at the screen, “I want you to talk to him first, Hera.  See if you see something there.”

“I will,” Hera said slowly, “are you sure, Kanan?”

“I am,” Kanan replied.

He studied Ezra, wondering at how young his Padawan looked at fourteen.  Without hearing him speak, he looked his age.  His mask wasn’t perfect, Kanan could see the many cracks as he talked to Sabine and Zeb, and the sly smirk that turned into a look of fear when the Ghost spun and he was knocked off his perch.

“I need you in the turret,” Hera said, “there are a lot of ties after us.”

“You got it,” Kanan said.  He stopped and touched Hera’s shoulder, “You do know that I love you, right?”

“And I love you, but I’ll love you more if we manage to get out of here without getting shot,” Hera retorted.


	5. Walk

As they walked back to the _Ghost,_ Kanan reached over to twist his hand around Hera’s.  She glanced at him, and then down at their linked hands.  “Kanan,” she said softly.

“If Ezra ends up staying on for the mission, we’re going to have to do something,” Kanan said instead.

“Do you think he will?”  Hera asked.

Kanan glanced across the plains to the hump on the horizon that was the _Ghost._   The singing of his Kyber crystal had grown exponentially louder, “Oh I think so,” he said, smiling.  “I mean, he did in my vision.”

“He’s a child,” Hera protested.

“I was younger than him,” Kanan said softly, remembering how excited he’d been, a Padawan Commander of the GAR.

“So was I,” Hera said with a sigh.

“Besides, Ezra isn’t a fighter,” Kanan added, “he’s a thief.”

“Do I want to know where your thoughts are headed?”  Hera asked.

Kanan tilted his head, “The primary skill set of a thief are based around getting into and out of places they aren’t supposed to be, and to not be caught.  I’m thinking that if there’s any skill Ezra has that we can appreciate, it would be his skill with locks.”

“Like binders,” Hera said.

“If these Wookies are war veterans, or some of them,” Kanan said, “I’d think they would find being refused the right to fight as an insult.”

Hera smiled at him, “I think you’re right.  But what if he doesn’t want to help?”

“First, what we’ll be doing is convincing Ezra to hire on for the trip,” Kanan said.

“You mean, we pay him,” Hera said.

“Credits can be a powerful motivator,” Kanan said.  “If we throw in about the spies in Tarkin Town, and play it as mutual security, I think he’ll listen.”  Ezra would listen, if you were honest with him.  “Besides, that means we can station Chopper in the Phantom, and minimize the likelihood that the Wookies would take offense to his language.”

Hera laughed, “All right, all right, I’m on board.  You, however, get to explain things to Sabine and Zeb.”

“Will do, Captain,” Kanan replied.  He tugged on their joined hands, pulling Hera in for a kiss.  “Now, I have to go bust Ezra, he may have found my lightsaber.”

Hera chuckled, “I’ll go have a talk with Chopper.”


	6. Bargain

Kanan could trust Ezra to do and be many things as he grew up, and most of them were very good.  The most reliable traits that Ezra had from the beginning, however, were his curiosity and horrible eavesdropping skills.  Knowing Ezra, Kanan had a momentary struggle not to laugh when Zeb hauled him out of the storage bay in the hold.  The kid looked like one of his beloved loth-cats after an accidental dunking.

He remembered last time that he’d let Sabine, and Zeb, intimidate Ezra into staying, but he was determined to change things, to create a slightly less antagonistic dynamic between them.

“Actually,” he said, “Sabine’s only partially right.  We’re not kidnappers, but there is a risk if we let you leave.”

“What do you mean?”  Ezra asked.

“The Empire has spies, yes, even in Tarkin Town.”  Hera said, “If all you knew was that we’d stolen blasters and gave food to the refugees, if they cared to pick you up, they’d only question you.  One hint that you know about the Wookies, and not even your age could save you from an interrogation.”

“Not only that, but there’s a risk to us as well.  If the Empire gets a hint of the plan, they’ll be waiting for us.”  Sabine said, glancing from Hera to Kanan.

“What does that mean for me?”  Ezra asked trying, almost successfully, to hide his interest.

“That’s what we need to figure out,” Kanan said.  “Sabine, Zeb, go make sure everything’s locked down for a fight.  Hera and I will handle Ezra.”

Sabine shifted, as if she wanted to argue, but Hera shook her head slightly.  With a sigh, Sabine followed Zeb out.

Kanan turned to Ezra, “I’m Kanan Jarrus, or Spector One, this is Captain Hera Syndulla, or Spector Two.  She owns the _Ghost._   When we’re on mission, I’m in charge, but otherwise, we all listen to Hera.”

“That’s news to me,” Hera muttered.

“Ezra Bridger,” Ezra said cautiously, he settled on one of the cargo crates left in the hold, “Look, I get you guys have concerns, but I just want to go home.  I’m not going to tell anyone about you.”

“I’m sure your parents are worried,” Hera tried.

“I don’t have parents,” Ezra snapped, “or a family.”

“You know,” Kanan said, allowing Hera a moment to recover, “That was pretty slick, how you dropped in on our robbery.  Do you have any other skills?”

“A few,” Ezra said with an expansive gestures.

“How are you with binders?”  Kanan asked.

“I’m not bad,” Ezra shrugged, “I mean, I can get out of them, most of the time.”

“Can you get someone else out?”  Kanan asked, exchanging a look with Hera.

“Sure,” Ezra said confidently, “that’s easy.”

“Would you be interested in a job, then?”  Hera asked, “It’s a one-time job, primarily to open binders.”

“You mean the Wookies,” Ezra said.

“Yes,” Kanan said, “Sabine, Zeb, and I can provide distraction and cover, but we need someone to deal with the binders.”

“These Wookies include several veterans of the Clone Wars,” Hera added, “once freed, I know they’ll be willing to fight, especially to protect the person who set them free.”

“We aren’t asking you to fight with us,” Kanan said, “we respect that those aren’t your skill set.”

“It’s okay,” Ezra said, “I mean, the whole chance that I’ll get killed isn’t a ringing endorsement but, I guess, the only question I have is, what’s the pay?”

“Let’s talk about it,” Hera said.

Kanan left them to the bargaining while he fulfilled his own promise to Hera.  It was time for a carefully worded, emotionally charged conversation about their newest, temporary, Spector with Sabine and Zeb.  It was no doubt the prologue to the longer conversation he’d have to have later on, about his own abilities and the future he envisioned.


	7. Rescue

Once the ramp was open, Kanan led the charge onto the platform, blaster picking off his first three troopers before he was clear of the Ghost.  To his left, Zeb moved, covering Ezra’s run for cover behind some crates while Sabine moved to the right.  Once Ezra was in cover, Kanan shifted so that Sabine could paint one of her more explosive art pieces.

Kanan felt the Force answer his call, furling outwards to track his people and to serve as a warning for _anyone else_ showing up to the party.  That included a silent thank you to the series of missions before their return to Lothal that had put him in close quarters with Alek.  That familiarity with his old friend’s Force presence would give him enough warning to keep things moving today.

At the same time, Kanan kept his firing focused on the storm troopers, especially as an additional two squads appeared from the guard house.  He shifted slightly when Sabine started firing again but didn’t relax until he saw the first Wookie turn on the storm troopers.  Wullffwarro dragged his chosen trooper back into a punch that cracked the man’s bucket, and maybe even his skull.  Then the other Wookies were involved, and the fight became a route.

“Everyone get on board,” Zeb called to the Wookies as a lull came in the fighting.  “Spector One, let’s go.”

Kanan glanced around, “Where’s- the kid?”

“On board,” Zeb replied.

Kanan waved a pair of Wookies to go ahead of him as he checked that faint link he’d created with Ezra.  The kid _was_ on board and would never know the feeling of being abandoned by the people who had forced him into such a dangerous situation.

A blaster shot went past him and Kanan flinched and leapt for the Ghost’s ramp, joining Zeb and Sabine in firing back at the new troopers as they backed up.

“We’re clear, Spector Two,” Kanan called, “let’s get out of here.”


	8. Break: Imperial Eyes

Lieutenant David Torgul smirked as he watched the security cams.  There was Trooper LS-449, out of uniform.  He made a mark on his datapad and leaned back slightly.  Let the others brag about their ‘connections’ and their ‘deep pockets’, he was going to be their boss soon enough.  None of them understood the power of running one of the base’s security rooms.  All those cameras, angled not to catch thieves, but to catch every single shirker, every broken regulation, every misstep.  All of it recorded, and all of it accessible to one person.  Let others sweat for the Empire, in this room, David Torgul was God.

The door to the security room slammed open, seeming even faster than usual given the way that Agent Kallus stormed into the room, followed by Minister Tua.

“Agent,” Torgul shot to his feet and saluted.

“Lieutenant,” Agent Kallus said, “you were assigned to track datapad Besh-Esk-Krill, were you not?”

“Yes sir,” Torgul said, reaching for his pad.

“Leave it,” Kallus snapped.  “Report, what happened to that datapad.”

Torgul swallowed, “The contents were confirmed downloaded by Trooper LS-991 onto a non-Imperial datapad.  The datapad was taken to a rocky outcropping near the refugee camps, and then returned to Capital City, where it was confirmed destroyed.  No doubt it was presented to those smugglers.”

“You are sure that no other data was added to that datapad,” Kallus said.

“The worm program reported no other Imperial coded information,” Torgul said, wondering what was happening.  He’d done his job; his people had done their jobs.  They’d tracked the datapad as ordered, they’d made sure that everything was done by the book.

“This plan was yours,” Kallus said.

“Yes- yes Agent Kallus,” Torgul said.

Kallus’s eyes narrowed for a long moment.  “Lieutenant, you are about to be transferred.  Prepare your things.”

“Transferred sir?”  Torgul said hesitantly.

“The Empire requires a presence on Jakku.  I think you will do nicely.  Your shuttle leaves at 1800 hours.  I suggest you don’t keep them waiting.”  Kallus said.

Torgul drew himself into a salute, “Yes sir.”

“We will find that leak,” Kallus said as he and Tua left the room.  “No one else is to know about this.”

Torgul sank into his chair for a moment, then turned to look at his datapad, the result of months of observation, the key, he’d thought, to an easy life.  He grabbed it and threw it at the wall before turning and heading for the door.  He did have to pack after all.


	9. Expanding the Family

Kana sighed, he was about to have a very uncomfortable conversation with Zeb and Sabine about his history, and why Ezra was so important.  It was hard, Kanan hadn’t exactly explained thing fully to Zeb and Sabine the first time.  He’d tried, but with the example of Kessel between them, it had been a lot easier.

“Kanan,” Zeb said, “the kid.”

“We need to have a discussion about Ezra,” Kanan agrees as he moved across the kitchen to get a pitcher of juice out.  “But, that’s not where we need to start.”  He held out his hand and carefully called a glass from the cabinet.

“Karabast,” Zeb breathed.

“Kanan?”  Sabine said softly.

Kanan poured out the juice and put the pitcher back.  “I don’t remember my parents.  I went to the Jedi Temple when I was almost three.  I grew up learning from Master Yoda and the Creche Masters.  I always knew I was going to be a Jedi.  When I was old enough, I became a Padawan to Master Depa Billaba.  Not even a year later, men I thought were friends killed my Master and tried to kill me.  I ran, and I hid, and I threw away almost everything that would tie me to the Jedi.  For twelve years, I tried to forget I’d ever even heard of the Force.”  He looked at his friends, “It didn’t work.  Once you’ve learned how to hear it, the Force can get pretty damn pushy.  It’s how Hera and I survived Gorse.”

“Okay,” Zeb said, “what’s this got to do with the kid?”

“He’s got it to,” Sabine said, “the Force?”

“He’s sensitive to it,” Kanan said, “I don’t know if he understands that yet, but, I saw it.”  He drained his glass and put it on the counter.  “You know how I got injured on the mission before last?”

“You asked about Ezra,” Sabine said after a moment.

Kanan nodded, “One aspect of the Force is to know, sometimes as visions, sometimes as hunches.  I was distracted, because the Force gave me a vision, about Ezra mostly, but, we were all there.”

“So, the Force, what, just told you about Ezra?”  Zeb asked.

“Sort of,” Kanan said, he wished he hadn’t drank so quickly, he didn’t have a something to do while gathering his thoughts.  “It was more that, I saw what we’d be, with Ezra. The result of his presence in our lives.  Sabine, you reconciled with your family and made strides in saving Mandalore.  Zeb, you, I don’t know what happened, but you were less guilty, more settled about yourself.  Hera was, amazing.  We’d all become better than we are.  It wasn’t easy, I know that.  We all had injuries, old hurts renewed, but we were better.”  He crossed his arms, “I want that, for all of us.”

“You think Ezra will cause that?”  Sabine asked.

“I think that having Ezra on board will change things,” Kanan said, “I’ll have to make time to train him to use the Force more than he already does, but in return we’ll be able to do different missions.  Ezra has skills that would allow us to expand on what we’re doing now.”

“The only problem I see is that we don’t have another room for him,” Zeb said.

“No,” Kanan said slowly, “if Ezra came on board, we’d have to double up somewhere.”

“Not me,” Sabine said, “Nope, not doing it.”

Kana winced.  Last time, Zeb had volunteered, probably out of guilt, and that had been months of the two of them going at each other.  Useful for Ezra to learn healing, but annoying for everyone in the meantime.  He glanced up and saw Hera watching from the kitchen door.

“Zeb,” Kanan said, “I’m asking you to agree to a roommate, at least temporarily.  You saw what he’s like.”

“Mouthy, pushy, and reckless,” Zeb agreed.

“He’s been on his own for a long time,” Kanan said, “he’s never had to temper himself, or restrain himself.  Not like the rest of us have.  And there’s more.”  He rolled up his sleeve and pulled of the bandage that had covered the burn on his arm.  There were a few scars, healing wasn’t perfect, but they looked old, as if he’d been injured months, if not years ago.

“That, Kanan?”  Sabine said, grabbing his arm and studying it.

“Jedi healing,” Kanan said, “I’m rusty at it, but I’m going to work on getting back my old skill.  It’s something I want to teach Ezra.”  He looked at Zeb, “One of the easiest things to heal?  Bruises.  You’re a trained and skilled fighter Zeb, you know your strength.  You also don’t loose your temper without being provoked.”

“What do you want?”  Zeb asked.

“You told me once that you grew up fighting, that wrestling was a huge thing for kits,” Kanan said, “it- in my vision, it was something.  I was thinking that, I was grateful because you helped me with Ezra, by treating him like you would a Lasat child.  It helped Ezra, with his healing and his emotional control, without, without breaking him.”

“And if I share a room with the kid, I can pretend he’s getting on my last nerve more,” Zeb said slowly, “and wrestle with him, like I would a kit.  Not, not at full strength, he’s human, but, I see.”

“If it doesn’t work, there are other options,” Hera cut in as she walked over to stand by Kanan.  “If you’re willing, both of you?”

“As long as I don’t have to share a room with him,” Sabine said, “I’m in.”

“I could,” Zeb said.  “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had a roommate.”

“Just let us know if you can’t handle it,” Kanan said as he slipped an arm around Hera’s shoulders.  “I want everyone to be okay with this.”

“I will,” Zeb said.

“Well,” Hera said, looked up at Kanan, “Now all you have to do is ask Ezra.”

“Not a problem,” Kanan said confidently.  He kissed Hera’s cheek, “I’ll talk to him soon.”

“In the meantime,” Sabine said, “I need some more paint.”

“Zeb, would you mind going with her to get more supplies?”  Hera asked.

“Sure,” Zeb said, “good luck with the kid.”  He took the list Hera offered and followed Sabine off the Ghost.


	10. Trouble

“You know,” Hera said, “I’m not sure what was going on in your vision, but it’s changed you.”

Kanan pushed himself up on his elbows and looked over at Hera, suddenly feeling guilty about the lie.  “I think, I needed this, a push.”

Hera reached over and rested her hand on Kanan’s chest, “It suits you.”  She levered herself up and over enough to kiss him.  “I’m glad for you.”

Kanan shifted to free up his hand, bringing it around to caress Hera’s lekku gently, “Hera,” he began.

His comm chirruped.

Kanan pulled his hand back, “If this isn’t important,” he growled as he grabbed the comm.  “Spector One.”

“Spector One, this is Spector Four,” Zeb began, over the distinctive sound of a TIE fighter in flight and what sounded like Ezra trying to say something.

Kanan sat up, “Spector Four, are you okay?”

“We may have had a problem,” Zeb replied.  There were some odd scuffling noises, “It wasn’t really anyone’s singular fault, but it’s been a very weird afternoon.  Spector Five should be headed your way soon, with, uh, some of the supplies.”

“Is there a reason I’m hearing a TIE fighter engine?”  Kanan asked finally as Hera slid off the bed and headed into the fresher.

“Because I’m in one, with, uh, with Spector Six?”  Zeb said.

Kanan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  “Did you steal a TIE fighter?”

“Yes, but not on purpose,” Zeb said.  “They were shooting at us!”

Kanan nodded, “Okay, first, make sure they can’t track you.  It’s the red and the blue.  Then, you need to get to shadow alpha site.  We’ll pick up Sabine and meet you there.  If you have to crash the TIE, just make sure you get out of it alive, if not, we’ll figure it out when we’re face to face.”

“Got it, Specter One,” Zeb said.

Kanan rubbed his eyes for a moment, “Why couldn’t they have decided to do this while I at least had pants on.”

There was a muffled snort, “Aw Kanan,” Zeb added, “You and Hera promised you’d stop throwing us off the Ghost so you could have sex!”

Kanan stared at the comm in horror for a long moment, and then shut it down.  Then he turned to find Hera, cleaned up and dressed, watching him with an amused grin.  “What are the chances that Ezra didn’t hear that?”  He asked her.

“Not good love,” Hera said, “you’re not making them crash the TIE?”

Kanan thought back to being strapped to the interrogation table, and how that TIE had literally saved his life.  “Not yet, call it a hunch.  There are some places we can hide it, and I’d rather have it and not need it.”

“Right,” Hera said.  “I’ll get Chopper on warming up the engines, you’d better get cleaned up.”

“Zeb’s going to complain enough,” Kanan agreed as he stood up.  He caught Hera around the waist and kissed her, “Still love you more, though.”

“I love you too,” Hera said, and kissed him back.  Then she moved away, “Let’s get moving.”


	11. Trouble Returns

Sabine came on board while Kanan was cleaning up, and as soon as he shut down the water, he felt the shudder of the Ghost taking to the air.  Kanan dressed and headed up to the cockpit.

“Ezra was doing something with one of the Imperial comms when Zeb found him, listening in or something.  I’m not sure, I wasn’t there, but I saw the next part.  Zeb and Ezra came racing through the markets with a squad of stormtroopers on their tail.  Ezra managed to get out of sight long enough to tell me where the supplies were, so I could get to them, but he went after Zeb before I could really stop him.  Next thing I know, I’m getting a comm call from Zeb asking me to bring the supplies to the Ghost.”

“So you don’t know where the TIE fighter came from?”  Kanan said as he braced himself against the interior hull as Hera made a quick turn.

“No,” Sabine said.  “What TIE fighter?”

“Zeb and Ezra have stolen a TIE fighter,” Kanan replied, “we’re either going to destroy it or hide it, depending on how things work out.”

“Hide it?”  Sabine said, “Weren’t you the one who said we could never steal imperial equipment we weren’t going to sell?”

Kanan eyed the girl for a long moment, “Let’s just go with, I had a vision and it’s important.”

“Also,” Sabine said, “didn’t you and Hera promise to stop kicking us off the Ghost so you can have sex?”

“You went voluntarily,” Kanan said, “and we weren’t exactly having sex.”

“Uh huh,” Sabine said, “if you didn’t have a hickey, I’d believe you.”

“We weren’t,” Kanan protested as Sabine walked away.  He sighed a little, because Sabine would never believe him.  After Hera, Kanan expected Sabine to be the one to pick up on all that he wasn’t saying about his visions.

Another brief shuddered had Kanan’s lightsaber thumping on his thigh and he realized that this was something else to deal with.  They hadn’t attracted Kallus’s attention yet.  The Grand Inquisitor wouldn’t know to be looking for them.  Would the Temple still be the best way to get Ezra his crystal when he was ready for it, or would trying to find Ilum, or even sneaking into Jedah be better this time around?

Would they attract the attention of the Inquisitors this time?

Any other thoughts Kanan might have had were interrupted by the all-call.  “Kanan, we’re approaching the landing sight, no sign of our wayward Specters.”

“Thank you,” Kanan called, trusting Hera to have the mics on.  He headed up to the cockpit, sliding into Sabine’s chair to watch as Sabine and Hera landed the ship.

“So, this TIE was in your vision?”  Hera said as they finished the post-flight check.

“It’s hard to explain,” Kanan said, “it’s like, a lot of my thoughts in that moment transferred over, and some memories.  Some of it was really clear, like the fact that Ezra is _my_ Padawan, but other things, like the TIE being important, aren’t.  I’ve been meditating on it, trying to work out what it all means, but it’s not easy, and the Force isn’t always helpful.”

Not when Kanan was trying to sort out what he could skim and what he had to focus on now, Kanan finished silently.  There was a datapad under his pillow in his own room that he was using to carefully sort through nearly five years of memory to figure out what was important and what wasn’t.

Not to mention his ongoing inner debate as to when he should tell Hera, and the other Specters, the full truth.  Part of him wanted to just blurt it out, but he was afraid that Ezra would run from them if he knew what Kanan knew about him.

“Ghost to Kanan, come in Kanan.”

Kanan blinked and glanced up to find Hera and Sabine staring at him, “I’m sorry, do what?”

“You okay there?”  Sabine asked, “You really blanked out on us.”

“Sorry,” Kanan said, “I keep trying to figure out what I’m doing with this vision and it’s a bit overwhelming, and now there’s Ezra, or there might be Ezra, if he stays.”

“I think he’ll stay,” Hera said, smiling at him, “I don’t think stealing a TIE fighter will run him off.”

Kanan sighed, “I guess.”

The comm came up and they all turned as Hera activated it.  “Spector Four to Ghost, we’re incoming.  No one’s following.”

“Ghost to Spector Four,” Hera said, “confirm the skies are clear.  We await your arrival.”

Kanan stood up, “I’ll wait for them outside.  Now may not be the best time, but there are worse moments.”

“Good luck,” Sabine said.

Kanan reached the hanger door just as the TIE landed, and he strode down the ramp as Ezra and Zeb climbed out, Ezra holding a pilot’s helmet under one arm.

“Hi Kanan,” Zeb said.

Kanan nodded slightly, “Why don’t you get with Hera about the best place to stash the TIE?  Ezra, may I speak with you alone?”

“Okay,” Ezra said after a moment.

“You aren’t in trouble, I promise,” Kanan said.  “Come with me, there’s something I want to show you.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was bored, and inspired.

_This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi: Trust in the force. Do not return to the Temple. That time has passed, and our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged. Our trust. Our faith. Our friendship. But we must persevere and in time a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you. Always._

 

Ezra looked from Kanan to the Holocron and back, “What is this?”

“This is a Holocron,” Kanan said, “It’s a recording device once used by the Jedi.”  He held out his hand and called the cube back to his hand.  “It was given to me by Jedi Master Depa Billaba a few weeks into my apprenticeship with her.  I was, am, a Jedi, and with training, you could be one as well.”

“Me?”  Ezra said.

“Yes,” Kanan said firmly.

“But, what,” Ezra hesitated a moment, “what is the Force?”

“It’s energy, and it binds all things in the universe together.  Beings like you and I are able to hear and interact with it, some of it is instinctive and the rest requires training.  Using the Force, being a Jedi, it’s not easy, it can become very dangerous, but it also has its rewards.”  Kanan couldn’t help his smile, “It’s a powerful ally, one that requires of you to be it’s equal, but what it gives you.”

“It’s not wealth,” Ezra said.

“Not material wealth, no,” Kanan agreed.

Ezra tilted his head, his face blank, but Kanan could see in his eyes the struggle, the want.

“Of course,” Kanan said, “if you want training, you’ll have a bunk on the _Ghost,_ and a place on the Specters.  We don’t have a standard split, because of the way we work, but you’ll have all the food you can eat, access to supplies for any special talents, and as the Wookie mission proved, we can use someone with your existing talents.”

Ezra titled his head, “Shouldn’t Hera be here for this part?”

“When we make it official, she will be,” Kanan said, “this is just the negotiation between me and you.  In the Jedi lexicon, when a Master offers an apprenticeship to an initiate, they’re required to lay out what benefits they can offer, as well as possible drawbacks.  This allows the initiate to make a fully informed decision on the matter.”

“So, what are the drawbacks?”  Ezra asked.

Kanan looked at his Padawan, and wished he’d had this discussion the first time.  There had been so much that he’d taught Ezra after the fact.  “First, to the Specters.  We are criminals in the eyes of the Empire.  Them getting their hands on us will be imprisonment or death, and for me and you, if the Empire realizes we’re Force Sensitive, it’ll be worse.  I won’t Fall, so I’ll be tortured to death, but you, they would try to turn you to their cause.  We steal, not only to survive, but to cause an impact on the Empire.  We consort with people who aren’t the best characters, but their intel and jobs are valuable to us.”

Kanan looked at the holocron, letting it float above his palm for a moment, letting the Force soothe him.  “As to the Jedi, we are allies of the Light Side of the Force.  Our Order, before the war, we were peacekeepers, diplomats and scholars, and dedicated to helping people.  The thing about the Light, is that there is always a dark side.  For Jedi, the worst of the Dark Side are the Sith.  Torturers, murderers, destroyers of worlds; they were the ones who plotted against the Jedi and destroyed the Temple.  The Dark Side is dangerous.  It’s also seductive and powerful, and it is very easy to slip if you aren’t careful.  The start of a Fall comes from dark emotions, like anger and fear.”

“But everyone gets angry, or is afraid, they aren’t evil,” Ezra said.

“That’s right,” Kanan said, “The thing is, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.  Being angry happens, being annoyed, frustrated, irritated, that’s something that happens in the course of everyday life.  It’s when you allow those emotions to control you, when you act on your anger, that the Dark Side finds an opening.”  Now was the part that Kanan had learned from Ahsoka, the part that would have made him a Heretic to the Order.  “It’s not permanent.  True regret, reparations, there are ways to come back from the Dark Side, but it’s a lot harder to climb back to the Light than it is to Fall in the first place.”

“So, that’s a downside?”

“Master Depa, she told me once that Padawan have individual Masters during puberty especially because we become more emotional during those years.  While that is an ideal time for a lot of the focused training we need to become Jedi, but it also allows for an outsider to keep an eye on how a Padawan is developing mentally and emotionally.  The trick, she told me, was to curb a Padawan’s temper and engineer their encounters with dangerous things, while allowing them the space to find their own balance.”

Kanan had regretted waiting to explain this to Ezra until after their encounter with the creatures on that asteroid.  He’d been desperate, terrified in his own way that he would lose the boy he’d promised to keep safe.  He’d heard the stories, that Padawan who Fell were killed by their own Masters to protect the Galaxy, and he had known he could never have done that, and his family would never have accepted it.  Now, he had a chance to show Ezra why it was dangerous before Ezra ever faced that crisis.

“I should also warn you,” Kanan continued, “you’ll have to share a room with Zeb to start off.  We don’t have another room available.  If it really doesn’t work out, then we’ll figure out an alternative arrangement.”

“The big guy?”  Ezra said.

“I promise, Zeb’s a little short tempered, but he’s a good guy when you get to know him.  You just have to give each other a chance.”  Kanan said, he put the holocron down on the bed beside his knee and stood up, offering his hand, “Ezra Bridger, it would be my honor to guide you on the path of the Jedi, if you would permit me.”

Ezra blinked, then stood up, “I accept, or I permit.  I want to be a Jedi.”

Kanan couldn’t help his smile, “Thank you, Ezra.  Now, let’s go negotiate the rest of this with Hera.”

“Do we have to?”  Ezra asked, “Hera’s kind of, intense.”

“I’ll talk to Hera, you watch and see how I do it.”  Kanan gestured to the door, “Consider it a lesson.”


End file.
